The Dirt - Going For The Gold!

Dos Gringos

№ 267

Going for the Gold!~

A: No but if there were an Olympics for Sunflowers we think we would be more than a contender.

Q:Really? Why is that?

A: We only grow the best varieties that we help create.

Q: How do you help create?

A: We actively help the seed breeders around the world by planting and trialing in numerous climate zonesduring different seasons and even different light conditions.

Q:That’s a cool way to do it. How does that make you different from other Sunflower growers?

A: We are able to grow the best varieties adapted to the appropriate time and growing area all year long. We have also been in business for now...wait for it…30 years. (We’re getting older, I know.) So we have tribal knowledge under our belts that dates back to 1988.

Q: What else makes you different and a contender for an Olympic medal in sunflower growing?

A: Currently we are growing in 9 micro climates in southern California and 11 in northern Mexico,this allows us to hedge against bad weather. When we first started we grew everything in 1 locatioin Southern California. We quickly learned our lesson that this had to change after wehad 2 crops wiped out due to weather in the same year resulting in nothing to sell.

Q:Impressive that you are able to grow in so many areas!That makes us feel more confident about doing business with you andyour ability to fill our orders 100%. Anything else?

A: Yes. We test 75 – 120 different Sunflower varieties annually.

Q:Why so many and what are you trying to improve?

A: We’re trying to improve vase life, resistance to pest and disease, speedin which we can grow them, and color. Take a look at someof the new varieties in testing…

Currently the 14 new varieties in testing right now.They don’t even have names. Just numbers.